BeCOIL Project: Online International Collaboration

Collaborative Online International Learning, or COIL for short, is a pedagogical method in which students from two different courses, one in Berlin and one abroad, collaborate online. Teachers co-design the joint course elements (such as online sessions) and their students work collaboratively in international teams on tasks in which they can contribute their respective knowledge. COIL internationalizes teaching and prepares students for success in the modern working world and a diverse society.

BeCOIL Project

The BeCOIL joint project is funded by the Berlin Senate. Since January 2023, COIL coordinators at nine universities in Berlin have been promoting the COIL concept and supporting lecturers with their COIL endeavours.

BeCOIL Events: Looking Forward and Back

Since the start of the project, the BeCOIL team has organized a wide range of COIL-related events. These events served as a virtual space to share COIL experiences, develop new project ideas and encourage participants to take the first step into the COIL world themselves! In addition to lecturers, university administrators and other stakeholders also took part. The participants hailed not just from Berlin, but also from partner institutions in a wide range of countries - from Bolivia to Romania, Hong Kong and Rwanda. While some participants had already carried out their first COIL projects, others were getting their first taster of the COIL concept. The events included:

• Virtual BeCOIL Meetup - A total of nine Virtual BeCOIL Meetups provided the opportunity to exchange ideas with experts and like-minded individuals and gain valuable insights into the world of COIL.
• How to COIL—How to Design Collaborative Online Courses with International Colleagues - In five sessions, participants were able to learn how to design successful collaborative online courses with international colleagues. The discussions and presentations provided valuable input on how digital education can be made accessible to all.
• Hybrid COIL'DE Bar Camp - The hybrid COIL'DE Bar Camp was a special highlight at which a wide range of COIL topics were discussed in an open and creative atmosphere. Participants were able to contribute their own ideas and benefit from the experiences of others.
• An Equal Digital Footing - Equity in Virtual Exchange & COIL Projects - This year's University:Future Festival 2024 saw BeCOIL coordinators offer a hands-on workshop with colleagues from Venezuela and the USA. Participants were able to experience first-hand the importance of equity in international online collaboration.

The current relevance of the COIL topic is also demonstrated by the fact that the project members have been invited to give presentations at the DAAD Leadership Conference in November 2023 and at the HRK Advance Conference in December 2023.

Postive Feedback

Participants stated that they had learned new things and had gained confidence in dealing with COIL thanks to the sessions. Above all, however, they also left the events inspired to carry out COIL project sin the future.

Upcoming events

Have we managed to spark your interest? We are delighted to announce exciting online events for the next semester:

• Thu, 17.10. from 16:00 – 18:00 Instructional Design of COIL: An Evidence-Based Approach
• Thu, 30.10. from 14:30 – 16:00: How to COIL
• Wed, 06.11. from 14:30 – 15:30: BeCOIL-Meetup
•  Thu, 28.11. from 09:30 – 11:00: How to COIL
• Thu, 05.12. from 09:30 – 10:30: BeCOIL-Meetup

Take this opportunity to get a first impression of COIL, learn more and make valuable contacts. We look forward to your participation!

If you have any questions, please contact Erica Callery erica.callery (at) hwr-berlin.de.